IRONICALLY, peace and tranquillity was what I experienced after stepping out of the plane that landed next to the hottest war zone in the world, at Amman International Airport, Jordan, on a bright November morning. The arrival lounge was modern, but modest and uncrowded — a soothing contrast to the swarming Dubai I had left only a few hours earlier.
The breeze was cool and dry, with a touch of chill. The 35-kilometre drive from the airport to the city took us through vast expanse of rolling beige hills, occasionally dotted with green olive trees and clusters. The road was excellent and most of the vehicles, including many Mercedes, were old models. White-stone houses looked exotic. An old settler from Palestine in Jordan, my host brought along a new Palestinian settler as a translator, but we preferred to communicate with each other in his broken English and my halting Arabic. Genuine warmth transcended language barriers.
As we approached the city, cleanliness and simplicity of the surroundings stood in sharp contrast to the ultramodern, superficial and cultural hotchpotch of Dubai. This country had a distinct ancient identity of its own, far removed from the nouveau riche environment of some Arabian Gulf countries, or the dark, hot smelly congestion of Indo-Pak subcontinent. I felt exhilarated, and that feeling of lightheaded elation never left me throughout my week-long stay in Amman.
Jordan has a vast array of archeological and historical antiquities, which have dazzled visitors for centuries. Jordan is a modern country that has been home to the world’s greatest civilizations. The Moabites, Ammonites, Assyrians, Arameans, Nabateans, Greeks, Romans and Arab Muslims have left a rich archeological and cultural heritage.
The land is blessed with a rich religious history too. Prophets — Abraham, Moses, Lot, Aaron, Elijah, Joshua, Jesus, Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and others — have either lived in Jordan or passed through its valleys, hills and streams. A good number of these are known to have been buried in Jordan. The land hosts many Islamic and Christian religious sites too. It is the land where Islam and Christianity meet. There are tombs of many of the Prophet Muhammad’s companions, who where martyred and buried there, as well as the sites of some of the most important battles in Islamic history. To the east of River Jordan, a large loop has long been identified as the spot where Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist. It is called Al-Maghtas in Arabic. Today, about 94 per cent of Jordan’s population is Muslim and six per cent Christian.
Every now and then, during my stay in Jordan, even a mildly religious person like me could not help being engulfed by a sense of spirituality. Undoubtedly, Jordan is a land of warmth and hospitality. Wherever you go, you are touched by the kindness of the people and the timeless beauty of the kingdom’s countless treasures. This is where Sarwat Ikramulla went a long time ago, to become a princess of its people.
Amman, Jordan’s capital, is a busy commercial and administrative metropolis, built on several hills or jebels. It has a long and fascinating history. In Biblical times, it was known as Rabbath Ammon, and later under the Ptolemies as Philadelphia! Today, Amman is a modern and liberal city with five star hotels, fine restaurants and a variety of entertainment and sports activities. However, the most striking aspect of Jordan is its diverse and mystic past, and intimate links to the world’s greatest religions and civilizations. The huge and impressive 2000-year-old Roman amphitheatre, standing beautifully in the centre of Amman city, is just one example. A short drive to the west, through the pine forests and olive groves of Dibbin National Park is Ajlun and an Arab castle, Qalat Rabadh, built during the crusades.
For most of its history since independence from British administration in 1946, Jordan was ruled by King Hussein (from 1953 to 1999). A pragmatic ruler, he successfully navigated his country through competing pressures from the major powers and a large internal Palestinian population, and through several wars and coup attempts. In 1989, he resumed parliamentary elections and gradually permitted political liberalization. In 1994, a formal peace treaty was signed with Israel.
King Abdullah II — the eldest son of King Hussein and Princess Muna — assumed the throne following his father’s death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated his power and has proved himself to be an able ruler. Though economically not very strong, Jordan has about 90 per cent literacy rate.
South of Amman, about 35 kilometres is Madaba, there is a 6th century mosaic map of Palestine, possibly the oldest map of the Holy Land in existence. From the nearby historic Mound Nebo, you can get a remarkable view of the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea and the spires of Jerusalem in the distance. Close by are mineral springs of Zarqa Ma’in, and Ma’in Spa Village is the best-equipped health resort in the Middle East.
A road branching out of the Amman-Jerusalem highway leads to Suwemeh on the Dead Sea. It is a resort area with picnic spots and a posh hotel. This is on the Eastern bank of Dead Sea and one can see the Israeli-controlled areas on the opposite western bank. More of a lake than a sea, Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth, at 1302 feet below sea level. About 11 miles at its widest, it runs along the Israel-Jordan border and both the neighbouring countries can see each other’s land from several points along its length. Because of strong buoyancy due to very high salt content, swimming in the Dead Sea is a unique and truly ‘unsinkable’ experience!
Walking is the best way to discover a new place, or any place for that matter. The sites, smells, sounds, textures and feel of the ground under your feet; faces of strangers, the way they walk and talk to each other, the way they look or do not look at you; shops and their wares, newspaper stands and the headlines; traffic — all create a wholesome picture that remains imprinted on the heart and mind for a long time.
I went for a walk around dusk. Amman is a hilly city, hotel Toledo, where I stayed, rose along a steep hillside with only the top floor jutting out on the hilltop side. If you climbed up to the fourth floor and went to the opposite side, you could again walk out of the hotel directly on a higher road, facing a residential neighbourhood. On the foothill side was bus and taxi terminus where long queues formed in the mornings and evenings, demonstrating the inherent orderliness of the people. These buses and taxis also included those going out of Jordan, toward Baghdad in the East and Syria in the North. Amman has been the main entry and exit route for Iraq since more than a decade.
I started my stroll by taking the paved side streets with a row of houses on either side. Most of the small gates were open. The architecture and layout of the houses was such that one could peek over the low boundary walls and through the windows — dinners being served and TV being watched, quietly. There was feeling of peace, safety and security, although no uniformed gun-totters were in sight.
Most of the women were in hijab and long coats, while the men were in trousers. No chaos and no trash on street corners of this middle-class neighbourhood. Modesty, grace and a kind of quiet sombre air prevailed, which was intriguing and made one wonder what these individuals felt. Many people in Jordan have close relatives across the border in the Israeli-controlled Palestinian areas, where they went for work, risking occasional interrogations by the Israeli police. Many had family members working in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Europe and USA.
White, rough stone exterior walls of these houses reminded one of Mediterranean suburbs. As if walking in a haze, I turned a street corner and found myself facing a wide downhill main road, which broke the spell I had been walking under. Coming out of the residential neighbourhood, I ventured into the business district of with hotels, government buildings, shops and that bus/taxi terminus I seen from my hotel room’s window earlier. An interesting site was that of the US Embassy on one side of a wide road, the Israeli Embassy on the opposite side and both of them were not far from the King’s Palace. Passing through the lively shopping street, and catching the appetizing aroma of shawarma and roasted peanuts being sold at roadside stalls, I returned to my hotel. I had walked for over two hours but felt more fascinated than fatigued.
Among other things, Amman has an unmistakable laid-back character — or was it resignation? The place has a magical ambiance — serene, uncluttered, clean and peaceful, while being a stone’s throw from the world’s most troubled regions on either side. It is also a main transit point to them — Iraq in the East and Israel/Palestine on the West.
I loved being in Jordan. Why? The best response I could come up with would be a long-winding, vague and abstract reply — the whole experience was so sublime.
IRONICALLY, peace and tranquillity was what I experienced after stepping out of the plane that landed next to the hottest war zone in the world, at Amman International Airport, Jordan, on a bright November morning. The arrival lounge was modern, but modest and uncrowded — a soothing contrast to the swarming Dubai I had left only a few hours earlier.
